Studying in Japan is an unusual choice for Nepalese right from the on-set. It is assumed that if you have come so far in your research and have shortlisted it as one of the options for your further studies, you have a solid reason for it. It always helps, however, to dive a little deeper into any of your decisions and create a safety net of options before you make the final choice. The cost of studying is a significant consideration.
While there are grants and scholarships available at every stage, one must be aware of and account for the expenses at each stage to avoid last-minute hassles. Since we are talking of the Japanese sub-continent, it makes more sense to understand the expenses in the Japanese currency, Yen (¥).
Starting with a basic tuition fee, depending on whether you choose a public university or a private university, you must expect an academic year to cost you something in between ¥550000 to ¥120000. An admission fee of close to ¥300000 and an examination fee of ¥ 25000 to ¥30000, on an average, is additionally something one must account for. You can choose to live on a college campus if you want to save living costs.
Most university websites will give you a sense of the yearly expenditure that you might have to incur in case you pick their university for a course. It is more important, however, that you evaluate the return on investments i.e. the job opportunities that will help you recover the cost after the course; the value of an undergraduate course for admissions in a masters program
In recent years a few selected universities and courses have managed to attract Indian students through exchange programs and other schemes, it is safe to say that the progress is not as fast as the bullet trains. Apart from our obsession with the west, there are numerous other reasons that Japan is not such a popular choice for Indian youth. One of the chief reasons is that the cost of studying and living in Japan easily compares to education in the US or UK; while the returns are questionable.
In over 800 universities that Japan has, about 200 falls under the public/national category, while the others are private. This is an essential consideration as you plan further studies in Japan. The following are other facts about the expenses involved in Japan-based higher education.